Automobile trap bumper



J. AMLER AUToMBILE TRAP BUMPER 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed May 2, 195o INVENTOR.

ATTCRNEY k *k w .NW .Y P. fa .Q k fifi l l yi w\ MK W Nov. 25, 1 930.

J. AMLER l AUTOMOBILE TRAP BUMPER Filed May A2, 93o z sheets-sheet 2 ATTQRNEY 1 5` this purpose,1means operated bythe force of `51o positive in` operation.

joscrib'ed and, therefore,- -fs'uchchanges and modifications may bemade therefrom` as do Patented Nev. 25,1930

L' i ",Vfiliuroivronrlgn maar BUMPER.

xhicle'sand -is inthe nature ofa bumper, the

obj ect being i the provision,` inv a structure Jfor c Vfcontact against the bumper rods forgripping and supporting the person" contacted by the bumper toprevent his" `falling `beneath, the 1wheels.or beneathl'the bodyotthe car,` and l `10x"(.BOnSeque'ntlyfobviate the liability of serious j @injury to'suchf"person',"`the device being 'also T foperable to grip and lock a vehicle 'whichcon ,.tactsfwith the bumperrods, and thereby 'trap `or 'in otherlwords prevent the escape of-hit y A`further--ob'ect isjthe `provision of a device for thisfpurpose which lmay `be readily {"attached to the rontoiany ordinary vehicle, l f which issimple iin-constructon, automatic and The invention will be `fully and compre ihensively understood `from a consideration of the followingdetailed ldescription wheny read the I understanding,` however, that the. im-

`provement is* capable of extendedlapplication and is not conned-to lthe exact showing of lthedrawings nor the precisejconstruetion denotaffectthe spiritfofthe'invention no r exceed the scopethereof aseX'pressed in the apg pended claims.

In the drawings :V Figurel is ai'ront elevation of a sufficient" portion of an automobile or like motor propelledvehicle to illustrate the application of my improvement thereon. y y Y Figure 2 is a top plan view of the improve` ment detached, the dotted lines indicating theswinging of the arched gripping arms.

`Figure Bis an enlarged detail front elevation `with partsinsection." i v Figure l is a sectional view approximately u on the line Ll-l of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is asectional view approximately on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

If desired the improvement may be supme ported from the front ends of the front mud;`

f.nino`snlvAmmin, `or sranroanconrincrrcur if,

guards oi the vehiclebylangle brackets i disclosed by `Figure 1 `of the drawings. Itis to be understood that thedevice may bei applied to thelrear asfwellas-to thc front ofthe c disclosed by the drawings, the improvec mentcontemplates the employmentof a'frnetal` c 1 frame,V which in the construction disclosed by the drawings comprisesthree plates whichare of an equal length, width and thickness. For

`)distinctionthe lower plateisindicated by the numeral A1, theintermediateplate by thenuc 1 meral 2 and the top plateby the numeral 3.

These plates, atV desired `points throughout," i areconnected'and held in spaced relationby y `short vertical plates 4 and theframe thus,V f

provided mayyasfheretofore stated, `be se j V- cured tothe mudguards of aniautomobile" 5 y infany desired orf preferred manerfor'the said frame maybe secured to the bumper pflthe "machineorotherwise secured tothe rontof the machine at a desired elevation to grip and support objectsthat contact therewith. y in connection with 'thelaccompanying drawings which form partothe application, with Adj acentto theends,'an'd at'suitable points from the center" there are j ournaled between ence to the drawings'it will beseen that two `of the lower shafts `6 Vare journaled between theplates 1L and 2 between Vthe'ends of the` rameand that the remaining*shorti'shafts are journaled respectively betweenthe plates l `and Qandythe Vplates 2 and 3 at points eq ui;y v y distantfrom the center fof the frame. FlachV i ofthe short shafts has fixedly secured thereonv ,anarched or semi-circular rod 7 These rods areiof heavy `and strong materialbut preferf `ablyfthe same are covered byl .compressible y casings softhat the said rods, when broughtto 3 engagementwith a human'being will not "n-Y l ilict injury to such person.

, On each of the short shafts thereris fixed a ratchet wheel `8, and each of the short shafts is iniuenced in ,turn in one" direction through @the medium of espiral` sprin'gsf).` `These springs, Hwhen actuated to turn.n the short shafts `will cause the arched rodsor arms @to swnginfthe direction of the arrows, aS dis# closed `bytFigure 2` of the drawings, `the said arched rods being normally retained in the full line position disclosed by Figure 2.

The respective sprocket wheels have their teeth engaged by a dog or detent l carried by a link l1. Fixedly connected to each of the adjacent pairs of links 1l and finding bearings in the upriglits 4t of the frame there are shafts l2. These shafts are influenced by springs 13 to cant the links ll downwardly to bring the said links against contact pins let carried by the uprights 4. The links eX- tend'a suitable distance outwardly with respect to the frame and the respective, and what may be termed the cooperating, pairs of links ll are connected together by bars l5. The bars l5 are rigid but yieldable bodily and are in the nature of bumper or contact elements. vit will be apparent that when any of the bars are forcibly contacted the links l1 connected thereto will be swung so Ithat the dogs or detents l0 will be brought out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheels 8, thereby releasing the spring' influenced shafts connected with the said ratchet wheels so that the same will turn and swing the arched or curved gripping rods or arms 7 to the dotted line position disclosed by Figure Q of the drawings and whereby theperson or object contacting with the bars l5 will be gripped by the said arched members 7. lllhen a person is engaged by the rods he will be held from falling below the frame and consequently will be prevented from contacting wita the ground surface or falling into the path of Contact of the wheels of the automobile 5. Should an object, such as an automobile or the like contacting with the bumper bars on the vehicle 5 be engaged by the arched or curved ari s i", the saine will be locked to the said vehicle 5 with the result that sucl vehicle cannot escape until the members 7 are swung to released position. rllius it will be noted that the device serves as a trap which will prevent the escape of hit and run` drivers as well as a life saving device for persons who are contacted by the bumper bars.

lilith the improvement it will lie-apparent that an automobile or like vehicle contacted with one provided with my device the same will not only be held from escaping but the occupants thereof will necessarily render such assistance to persons in the bumper equipped car as willvalleviate any injuries to which they have been subjected and to likewise summons aid to such injured persons.

It may be stated that the most frequent fatal injuries do not result in the person being hit by the automobile but the impact of the force of the collision throws the person to the ground and frequently results in skull fracture, broken bones, etc. With an automobile equipped with my inproveinent the person driving the same will be forced to give aid, as otherwise a person contacted will be dragged with the automobile which, of course, will attract attention so it will be noted that an automobile equipped with the improvement not only traps a vehicle that contacts with his machine but cannot escape with a person or obstacle trapped by the improvement without detection. Y

Having described the invention, I claim:

l. A device for the purpose set forth, comprising a frame fixedly secured on the front or rear of the vehicle, vertically disposed spring influenced shafts journaled on the frame, an arched gripping rod on each shaft, bumper bars projecting from the frame, piv- V oted links on the bumper bars, spring influence-d shafts-for the links, means carried by the links and means on the vertical spring influenced shafts cooperating .with such means for holding the vertical spring influenced shafts from turning and for normally retaining the arched arms thereon rearwardly with respect to the frame.'

2. In a device for the purpose set forth, a frame to be attached tothe front of a motor or like vehicle and to extend over the front mud guards thereof, vertically disposed spring influenced shafts journaled in the frame, ratchet wheels 0n the shafts, arched gripping elements fixed on the shafts, links having detents to engage with the ratchet wheels, a spring influenced shaft supportingthe respective pairs of links, said links projecting outwardly from the frame and a bumper bar connecting the respective pairs of links.

3. In a'device for the purpose set forth, pivotally supported spring influenced arched gripping members, latching means for holding the members in non-gripping position, swingable bumper `bars connected with the latchingmembers and designed, when contacted to release such latcliing means to permit of the gripping members swinging to l gripping position.

ln testimony whereof' I vafliii my signature.

JAROSLAV AMLER. 

